History

The Origins of Kenpo

Kenpo is considered by many to be the first eclectic martial art. Its origin evolved in China. And according to legend, those martial arts began over a thousand years ago. At the beginning of the seventeenth century two Buddhist Samurai families brought knowledge of Kenpo from China to Kyushu in Japan. It was modified throughout many years to include the families own Jiu- Jitsu arts into its current form. It is from here that most modern forms of Kenpo are derived. Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu. The name referred to a Chinese martial art as seen from a Japanese perspective. Near the beginning of World War II in 1936, James Mitose opened the "Official Self-Defense" club in Honolulu. It was from here that the five major Kenpo students; Thomas Young, William K. S. Chow, Edmund Howe, Arthur Keawe and Paul Yamaguchi would study and bring Kenpo to the rest of the world. (Photo: Al Tracy).

William K.S. Chow adapted Mitose's approach and "Americanized" the art. He is perhaps responsible for the largest leap of Kenpo to the general public. In 1949, Chow opened a school of his own at a local YMCA and referred to his art as Kenpo Karate in order for the name of the art to be more recognizable to the general public who already had an idea of what "karate" was but were unfamiliar with what kenpo was.

Ed Parker Edmund K. Parker, who is probably the most famous of Chow's practitioners, began studying Kenpo with Chow. Parker further adapted the methods to revisit the Chinese origins of Kenpo to enhance our current understanding of the art.

Al Tracy began training with Ed Parker in 1957. Soon Al Tracy and his brothers were opening Kenpo schools and clubs across the country. The Tracy's organization preserves the Original Kenpo Jiu Jitsu/ Traditional Chinese Kenpo curriculum.

Nexus Kenpo Martial Arts Combines Combat Kickboxing and Reality Grappling with Tracy's Kenpo to offer the the best in martial arts and fitness trainning.